Thursday, 12 May 2022

Ministers statements: Victoria’s Big Build

Mr CARROLL (Niddrie—Minister for Public Transport, Minister for Roads and Road Safety) (14:26): It is my pleasure to update the house on the Andrews Labor government’s rolling stock agenda, delivering hundreds of trains, trams and buses built by Victorians for Victorians as part of our $80 billion investment in the Big Build. The $8 billion rolling stock agenda is seeing more trains, trams and buses delivered right across this state, with mandated local content requirements.

In last week’s budget there was another $250 million, which nudges us closer to that $8 billion investment in rolling stock—unprecedented. We were trailing the ACT government; we are leading the nation when it comes to rolling stock. The member for Dandenong knows very well, as do the Premier and I, having met all those apprentices and workers only a few weeks ago that putting all of our transport on the railway lines and on the buses—zero-emissions buses, trams, disability stops—it is an unprecedented agenda.

When you think about the Regional Rail Revival—can I acknowledge the member for Shepparton—it is going to see VLocities for the first time travelling on the Shepparton line. But where else might they be going? How about that former premier’s seat, South-West Coast—for once we are going to deliver VLocities. A one-time Premier, one-time radio host and one-time vet could never deliver VLocities for this government, but this government will. We know the current member for South-West Coast loves her Ubers, but we are all about delivering train services to those people that need them.

Under our government we are the envy of Australia when it comes to rolling stock. Those opposite—you have to look over the Murray, not at that metropolis in Sydney but to the ACT government that led them. There was not one tram order in four years for the biggest tram network in the whole world. I rest my case.